Siege of Rennes (1084)

The Siege of Rennes occurred in 1084 when Robert of Normandy and an English army laid siege to the Breton settlement of Rennes in northwestern France. The English succeeded in storming the city after a two-year siege, and the Duchy of Brittany was subjected to English rule.

Background
As the Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror was inclined to campaign to expand his lands in France as far as possible, as more lands meant more taxes. However, William was also King of England, and he had to deal with matters at home, as England was not yet fully-pacified. Instead, his son Robert of Normandy was given command of an army in Normandy and dispatched to campaign against the rebellious Duchy of Brittany in northwestern France. The Anglo-Norman army marched west and laid siege to the Breton city of Rennes, and they spent two years building siege equipment. In 1084, they launched their major assault on the city.

Siege
With the weather favorable and his men ready, Robert decided to lead the assault on Rennes. With 667 troops, including local Breton and Norman mercenaries, Robert sent his battering ram forth to breach the walls. The Bretons failed to marshal up any resistance at the gates, allowing for the English to gain access to the castle. The English proceeded to charge into the city and engage the Bretons in a long period of slashing and hacking with swords and spears, eventually prevailing in the bloody melee. The Bretons fought to the last man, and the English army peacefully occupied Rennes upon its conquest. William the Conqueror finally achieved his goal of conquering Brittany and defeating his Breton rivals.